BlackLivesMatter to #MeToo: Social Media’s Contribution to Democracy

Zoom program on Tuesday, November 17th at 6:30 pm 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: Almost everyone we know uses these platforms, from politicians to entertainers to the kids next door. But what impact do these sites have on the state of the American democracy? In this talk, Judith Rosenbaum, Associate Professor in Media Studies and Chair of Communication and Journalism at the University of Maine, will address how social media in general, and Twitter in particular, impact the American political landscape. Using case studies such as #BlackLivesMatter, #TakeAKnee, and #BoycottNike, Rosenbaum will discuss the extent to which Twitter functions as a virtual public sphere, and shed light on how the often inflammatory and one-sided discussion on social media platforms can contribute to as well as detract from American democracy.

Registration is Required.  Click Here to Register.   Or call 978-465-4428 x 242.  This event will be held on Zoom.  A link will be sent to participants the day before the program.

Judith E. Rosenbaum, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in Media Studies and Chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of Maine. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles investigating how people engage with the media, including the 2018 book Constructing digital cultures: Tweets, trends, race, and gender, and a recently published co-edited volume entitled Twitter, the public sphere, and the chaos of online deliberation.